<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The National Green Tribunal has asked Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Bihar to respond to a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report on 20 most-polluted cities in the world.&nbsp;</span></div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">According to the WHO global air pollution database, 14 out of the 15 most-polluted cities in the world in terms of Particulate Matter or (PM) 2.5 concentrations are in India.&nbsp;</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Kanpur, being the worst, is with a PM 2.5 concentration of 173 micrograms per cubic metre, followed by Faridabad, Varanasi and Gaya.</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">A bench headed by acting NGT Chairperson Jawad Rahim yesterday sought responses from the governments of these states including Delhi.&nbsp;</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br />''</div>''<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">They have been asked to clarify their standby 21st May, the next date of hearing.</div>''<div class="yj6qo" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"></div>''<div class="adL" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"></div>''<div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />''</span></div>